She Will Be Loved
by Jace'sAngel
Summary: Jace has been in love with Clary since Junior year of high school, and she can't deal with it. He's been hurting, but he still answers when a call from Isabelle forces him to drive Clary home. A/U, very angsty and fluffy. Rated T for under-age drinking.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** So, I was finishing up chapter four of Delicate (my other story), listening to my Ipod, and "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5 started playing. The idea for this story just sort of hit me in the face. I _had_ to write it. :D

Basically, Jace has been in love with Clary since Junior year of high school, and they hooked up a few times in the past, but Clary turned into a hot mess after a couple of dramatic events (which will be explained later), and she hasn't really been able to handle being in love with him. So, Jace has been running after her, and he's tired of being hurt, but he loves her and can't help himself. Their ages are: Clary-18, Jace-20, Isabelle-19, Sebastian-21.

The part in italics is a flashback, just so you know :)

The story theme song is "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5. You absolutely _must_ listen to it while you are reading this! It's a beautiful song :)

* * *

Jace wanted to slam his head against his steering wheel. His sister was at it again, making his life ten times more complicated than it needed to be.

_Jace's black cell phone rang, a song he didn't remember the name of blaring from the glove box of his '96 Camaro. He yanked open the compartment and flipped open his phone, and almost immediately Isabelle's voice blared in his ear._

"_Hey big brother," she shouted over the clamor of whatever party she was at, obviously drunk. "Can you give us a ride home?"_

"_Us?" Jace asked tonelessly, mulling over the fact that Isabelle would owe him a favor if he did pick her up, but he wasn't going to enjoy driving to whatever party she was at, or picking up one of her idiot friends._

"_Me and Clary."_

_Jace almost slammed on the brakes in the middle of traffic, gripping his cell phone so tightly that the black plastic creaked in his hand. It took him a minute before he could answer Isabelle. "No." He was about to hang up on her, when she said the one word that could stop him._

"_Please." There was something about the way his sister's voice sounded that prevented Jace from closing his phone. Had she been crying?_

"_Fine." Jace couldn't imagine Isabelle crying, but he wasn't going to leave her alone if something worse than usual had happened. "Where are you?"_

"_At Sebastian's," was Isabelle's answer._

_Jace's jaw clenched involuntarily. Why did she have to be _there_ of all places? "I'll be there in five minutes," he said tightly._

"_Thank you." Isabelle hung up, leaving Jace to navigate his way out of traffic and to the one place in New York he hated the most._

_The drive to Sebastian's manor home was longer than Jace had expected, and as he drove slowly up to the Verlac's immaculate front lawn he saw his sister laying on her back in the perfectly trimmed grass, waiting for him. He also saw a thin, redheaded figure sitting cross-legged beside Isabelle, her green eyes aimed into the distance. Clary._

_Jace wanted to turn around right there. He didn't want Clary in his car. Especially not when she was drunk. He never wanted to see her soft red curls again, or let her emerald eyes stare into his again. But he couldn't leave Isabelle, who looked so miserable laying in the grass with her eyes clenched shut and her arms wrapped around her stomach._

_Jace pulled his Camaro into an open space in front of Sebastian's expansive front yard. He could hear the pounding music coming from inside the house: some pop song he didn't recognize. He killed the engine and stepped out of his car._

_Isabelle lifted her head and saw him, but didn't make a move to get up. He would have to carry her to the car._

_Jace made his way to his sister, ignoring Clary's gaze. "Izzy?" He held out his arms to his sister, and she let him lift her up. She smelled like beer._

_Clary stayed where she was in the grass, not standing to follow him._

_Jace forced himself not to think about Clary as he situated Isabelle in the back seat of his Camaro. "If you throw up in here, I will personally burn all of your dresses," he warned her. Isabelle laughed softly, and then winced at the churning in her stomach the movement caused._

_Jace turned around to find Clary still sitting in the grass, but facing away from him. "You coming?" He called, wishing he didn't have to address her directly._

_Clary shook her head, but didn't say anything. And she didn't look at him._

_Something clicked in Jace's mind, or maybe it tugged at his heart. He couldn't be sure, but he needed to go to her. He needed to pull her into his arms like he had so many times before; needed to run his hands through her fiery tangles and promise her that everything would turn out all right._

_Jace kneeled next to her in the grass, reaching a tentative hand out to her. "Clary," he didn't know what he was asking, or even if it was a question. His only thought was of her._

_Clary shrugged away from his hand, still refusing to look at him. "Go away," she ordered, half drunkenly._

"_No," Jace said softly. He couldn't. He couldn't leave her. As much as his mind wanted him to walk away, his heart told him that he would never be able to force himself away. Not this time. "Clary, please," he laid his hand on her shoulder, inching closer to her. He still didn't know what he was asking for._

_She spun around, swatting his hand away from her, her face a mix of emotion. "Just go," she closed her green eyes, "Please just go."_

_Jace grabbed her wrist in one hand and laid his other on her cheek, forcing her to face him. She wouldn't open her eyes. "Clary," he knew what he was asking her now, "Let me take you home."_

_She shook her head, forcing Jace to drop his hand from her cheek and back down to her shoulder. "I can't go home," Clary whispered, "Jonathan – "_

"_You can stay with us," Jace told her._ _With me._ _He couldn't make her go home to her brother. He didn't even _want_ her to go home to her brother._

_Clary's green eyes finally opened, and Jace saw all of the tears that she hadn't let fall. She leaned forward, and Jace shifted so that he could lift her bridal-style into his arms, the way he remembered holding her before, with her head resting on his shoulder; her warm forehead pressed against his neck. Clary's arms wrapped around Jace's neck, her thin fingers lacing in his hair as the tears she had been holding in began to pour down her pink cheeks._

_Jace held her, clutching her tiny body as close as he could without hurting her, murmuring what he hoped were soothing words in her ear. There were three words he wanted to tell her; the only real truth he had ever known; the three words he had been waiting since Junior year to say. Those words were the reason he couldn't stay away from her, but also the reason he had never wanted to see her again. He didn't want her to be able to hurt him again, but he couldn't bear to see her hurting. Jace would always be the one to catch her when she fell, whether she wanted him to or not._

"_Well, isn't this cute," a mocking voice sounded behind Jace. Sebastian. Clary tensed in Jace's arms, her legs curling up in front of her._

_Jace tightened his grip on Clary's body, rising to his feet in front of the sardonic, black-haired boy. He shifted Clary's weight to one of his arms, laying his free hand on the side of her face to shield her from whatever words he knew Sebastian would throw at them._

"_If I didn't know better," Sebastian continued, "I'd say you two were back together. _Again_." He raised an eyebrow, "But I do know better, don't I? You have more sense than to get back with that slut."_

_Jace growled, his line of vision turning red with blind burning rage. How _dare_ Sebastian call her that? Jace struggled to even out his breathing. Only Clary, quivering in his arms, kept Jace from tackling Sebastian and punching his lights out._

_Instead, Jace turned away, cradling Clary still closer to him. He took another deep breath to calm himself. "We were just leaving," he growled, glaring into space as he walked back to his Camaro._

"_Have fun in hell, Wayland!" Sebastian called after him._

_Jace ignored him. "You okay?" He stroked Clary's cheek, wincing internally at her pained expression. Her eyes were still wet with tears, but she wasn't crying anymore. Sebastian's insults always hurt her more than she let on. She nodded in answer, pressing her face back against Jace's neck._

_Isabelle was passed out across the back seat of his Camaro, so Jace set Clary in the front passenger's seat. He got in on the driver's side, and glared after Sebastian as the dark-haired boy walked back into his house._

"Jace," Clary whispered his name, halfway back to the Lightwood's. "I don't want to go home."

Jace reached for her hand, tracing small comforting circles over her knuckles. "I know," he gently squeezed her hand, "That's why we're going to my house."

Clary sighed. "Thank you," she whispered. She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. Her hand slowly went limp in Jace's.

Jace was relieved that she was sleeping, but he couldn't let go of her hand. He hadn't seen more than a brief glimpse of her in over three months, and now that his anger at Sebastian's words was fading he was beginning to remember exactly what her touch did to him. Jace wanted to hold her again. He wanted to kiss her again. He wanted to feel her under him again, vulnerable and beautiful.

He wanted to see her smile again.

Jace hadn't seen Clary smile in so long. . .

But he couldn't bear it if she pushed him away again.

"Jace!" Isabelle moaned from the back seat, causing his thoughts to dissipate. "If you don't pull over right now, I'm going to puke!"

* * *

**A/N:** Well, what did you think? Is this better or worse than Delicate? I think it's just as angsty and romantic, and I will definately continue if you want me to :D (Also, the "dramatic events" will be explained in later chapters, if I do continue)

xoxo,

Jace's Angel


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Well, here it is. _Finally_. Chapter two. I was actually going to post this last Saturday morning, but I was writing and writing and writing... and then I got stuck on the end :( I just absolutely _could not_ think of how to end this chapter. But then I got it (with some unintentional help from my best friend). ) So here is the longest chapter I have ever written in my life. :)

* * *

The front door opened with a sharp click. Alec heard the patter of quick footsteps, and the sound of someone throwing up in the hall bathroom. Isabelle? But who had driven her home?

A second set of footsteps entered the house, slower and softer than the first. Jace.

"Jace?" Alec called from the kitchen, "Is that Isabelle in the bathroom?" He left the kitchen with a ham and Swiss sandwich in his hand. "Mom's not going to be happy if she comes home and the bathroom smells like – " He turned the corner into the front hallway, and almost dropped his sandwich. Jace was there, like Alec had expected, but in his arms was the one person Alec had never thought he would see in their home again. Clary Fray lay unconscious in Jace's arms.

Alec hadn't seen his brother with the redhead in months. Usually just the mention of her name was enough to make Jace wince and end a conversation, or even leave the room. But now here he was with Clary, cradling her in his arms like she was made of glass.

"Is your old bed still in the guest room?" Jace asked, completely ignoring Alec's questioning stare.

"N-no," Alec stuttered, still digesting the sight of Jace's on and off girlfriend in their house again. "Why...?" Alec wanted to know why Jace would bring her home, why he would let her back into his life again. And why Jace would need to know where Alec's old bed was. Every other time Jace had brought Clary home drunk, she had slept on the couch in the office.

But Jace didn't answer Alec's question, or even look at him. Jace only brushed past Alec on his way to the stairs.

Alec sighed, watching his brother carry Clary into his room and kick the door shut behind him.

Alec could hear Isabelle throwing up again, and he walked back into the kitchen to get her a glass of water.

* * *

Jace laid Clary on his bed, gently pulling off her shoes and setting them beside his bed. Then he pulled the plain black quilt up to her thin hips, just watching her sleep. Jace hadn't seen Clary's face look so peaceful in a long time. He sat next to her on the bed and traced his fingers over her cheekbone, memorizing every line of her features. He wanted to remember this moment, the serenity of her face.

He wanted to kiss her.

Jace took a deep breath and stood up. He couldn't think about her like that. Not now. He didn't want to be thinking about her at all. Jace paced across his room to the coat rack that stood in the back corner and pulled his black leather jacket off. The flood of cold air from the air conditioning vent in the ceiling above him helped to clear his mind. Jace realized how hot he still was, and yanked his navy blue t-shirt off over his head as well, and threw it into the barely-full laundry basket he left sitting under the coat rack. Jace wondered momentarily if it was the temperature of the room that was making him sweat, or the onslaught of emotion coursing through him. He fingered the edge of the grey tank-top he had worn under his t-shirt, but he didn't feel like being completely shirtless in front of Clary, even if she was unconscious.

Jace made his way back to the bed. Clary was still sleeping; still so peaceful.

Jace's hand found Clary's under the thick quilt, and his long fingers laced with hers. He wished she would wake up. He wished she would talk to him, the way they had used to. He wanted her to sit in his lap and talk. Just talk. About anything; everything that happened to her. She had before. Before Jonathan. When Jonathan had hurt Clary, it had hurt Jace too.

Jace closed his eyes, wincing at the memories washing over his mind. He tried not to mention Jonathan in front of Clary. It was so much more painful for her than she let on in front of other people. But Jace knew. He always knew exactly what she was feeling. And he couldn't bear the knowledge that she was suffering from so much anxiety and she wouldn't let him help her. For almost two years now she had been avoiding him. Jace understood why Clary pushed him away, she was afraid of trusting someone again. But it still hurt Jace that she didn't want him there.

"Jace," Clary mumbled, gripping his hand. Her eyelids fluttered open, her eyes immediately focusing on him. Jace helped her sit up, pulling her into his lap as she used his arm for leverage. She leaned into his chest, still holding his hand. Jace felt her need to let go, the push him away like she always did, but he couldn't let her go. Not this time.

Clary's grip on his hand suddenly tightened. "You have pictures up," she was staring at a particular place on the wall behind Jace, her eyebrows furrowing in surprise.

"What?" Jace turned, not knowing what she meant. He found what she was staring at, three framed photographs that stood on top of his dresser. "Oh," Jace stood with more force than he had intended, pushing Clary off of his lap. He took three long strides away from his bed, to go shove the photos into the top drawer of his dresser where Clary wouldn't see them. Jace didn't understand why it bothered him so much that Clary cared whether he had pictures up or not, but he didn't want her to see the photographs.

But Clary was next to him faster than he had anticipated she could move, particularly when she was most likely hungover. "Jace," her tone was soft and uncertain, and her tiny hands grasped at his arm, her fingers digging into his skin, as if that could stop him. And it did. "You never have pictures," her voice faded into a whisper as she glanced up at him, her eyes a mixture of confusion and… fear?

Jace didn't care. At least, he didn't think he cared. He didn't want to care. "Well, I do now." He forced to tone to be final, even though the stunned look of hurt on her face made him want to break. Jace shook his head to clear his mind of her and shoved the three photographs under the mass of mismatched socks in the top drawer of his dresser, and slammed the ivory wood drawer closed.

When Jace turned back around, Clary was staring off into space. She did that, Jace remembered, when she was thinking. Or when she was upset. Clary always got quieter the more upset she was.

"Clary – " Jace started, reaching for her, wanting to apologize for snapping at her.

"I should go," Clary cut him off. She stared at the graying carpet below her feet. "You don't really want me here, do you? I can go – "

"No." Now it was Jace's turn to interrupt her. He took a careful step towards her, closing the space between them, and laid a hesitant hand on her cheek. "Clary, look at me," he ordered gently. "I don't want you to leave," _I've never wanted for you to leave. I want you to stay here, with me, forever. Please don't leave me again. I need you_. "I wouldn't have brought you here if I didn't want you to be here. Clary, why do you think you woke up in my bed instead of the couch in the office? I – " _I love you_. Jace choked on the words. He wanted to tell her. He _needed_ to tell her. But he couldn't. He couldn't handle it if Clary told him she didn't love him too; didn't want him; didn't need him as much as he needed her.

Clary sighed and fell forwards, into Jace's outstretched arms. "I'm sorry," her voice shook in her effort not to cry. "Jace, I'm so sorry. Please, I don't want you to have to deal with everything that's wrong in my life. I'm sorry – "

"It's alright, Clary," Jace stroked her hair with one hand and laid his other hand on the small of her back, holding her as close to him as he could manage. _I love you, Clary._ "We'll get through this. Together."

Clary threw her arms around him, unable to contain her tears any longer. Uncontrollable sobs wracked through her body as she gripped handfuls of Jace's cotton shirt in an attempt to steady herself. Jace laced his fingers through the soft red curls at the nape of her neck. He spoke to her, his voice a soft, comforting murmur, but he didn't know what it was he was saying. Jace only knew that he couldn't stand the sound of her sobbing. He couldn't, knowing that it was partially because of him that Clary felt the way she did.

"Clary, Clary," Jace realized that it was her name, only her name, that he was saying. Over and over, "Clary, Clary," _I love you,_ "Clary…" _Please tell me you love me too. Please tell me you need me too. Please, because I love you. I need you. Clary. Clary._

She fell limp in his arms, holding onto him like he was the one thing keeping her afloat in an ocean of nothingness. Jace lifted Clary's shaking body into his arms, cradling her like a porcelain doll, and carried her back to his bed. He held her in his lap, rocking the two of them back and forth, whispering soothing words to her. After a few minutes, Clary could breathe evenly again. Her grip on Jace's tank-top loosened, and she leaned lightly against his chest. "Jace," Clary whispered, "I… I love you." She took in a shaky breath, "I've always loved you. I'm just… afraid of… of…" she couldn't keep going. More tears ran down her pale cheeks as her body convulsed in sobs.

"I love you too, Clary," Jace whispered back, stroking her hair. He wanted to say something, _anything_, that would stop her tears, but he couldn't think. "What are you afraid of?" Jace had to know. He needed to know what she could possibly be afraid would happen.

"After Jonathan – " Clary tried to calm her breathing enough to talk. "After Jonathan… was arrested, and then Simon told me... he hated me…" Clary gripped Jace's hand so tightly he thought his bones might crack. "I'm afraid you'll leave me too." She bit her lip, refusing to look up at him.

"I would never leave you. You know that." Jace winced at his own words. She _didn't_ know that. Not when he had walked away from her before, when he had been afraid of being hurt.

"I… I know. But after… Jonathan – and my father – and then Simon," Clary took in another shaky breath, "I just… I can't…" She couldn't stop the tears that flowed down her cheeks. She presses her face into Jace's cotton tank-top.

Jace closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the headboard of his bed. He ran his hand over Clary's smooth bare shoulders, wishing he could do something – _anything_ – that would stop her unrelenting sobbing. This was just as painful for him as it was for her. That was why he had run from her so many times in the past; he was just as afraid of dealing with the emotions that haunted both of them as Clary was. "I love you," Jace told her, even though there was so much more he wanted for her to know. "We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to."

"Yes, I do need to talk about this," Clary mumbled, her voice muffled by his shirt. She sat up and looked directly into his eyes, her emerald eyes still wet with tears and her thin hands still clenched into his tank-top. "I've been hiding from everything that happened," she swallowed, "and from you, and I don't want to anymore. It hurts to think about everything that happened, but it hurts more not to be able to talk about it."

Jace couldn't believe how strong she was. Emotionally, holding onto everything that had hurt her was killing her from the inside out, and she was willing to talk to him. Jace lifted his hand and laid his palm against her cheek. He couldn't say any of the things he wanted to say, but it didn't matter. Clary understood through just that gesture.

She sighed and leaned back against his chest, but adjusted her body so that she sat sideways in his lap. Jace leaned back into the pile of black-cased pillows on the bed and let her lay in the crook of his arm, with her cheek on his chest. Clary smiled at the familiar position and snuggled closer to him, one arm tucked between their bodies and the other draped over his ribs. "I miss my brother," she said softly.

"I know."

"I wish he hadn't let our dad get to him. Now he's in jail, and he's a – " she couldn't say the word, the one frightening word that described what both her father and her brother had done. Jace knew it was because she was afraid of them both now; afraid of what they had become. "He's the same. Just exactly the same." Jonathan had turned out exactly like his father, Jace realized. They had everything from the same bad haircut to the same bad grades in high school, to the same judgment skills, to the same horrible sense of self-preservation. Jonathan hadn't used to be that way. He had used to be the quiet calculating kid no one paid attention to. But Jace suspected the change in his personality, and his permanent record, had something to with the inability to _'just say no_._'_ "And now he's on parole, and I'm afraid to go home. I'm afraid of what he'll do to me if he loses it. Mom's afraid too. She stays locked up in her room, painting. You know she put three extra locks on the door? I did on my door too, but I'm still scared at night." Clary shivered, and Jace rubbed her shoulder. He didn't know how to reply to her, but he realized she didn't really need an answer.

"Jace?" Clary was staring thoughtfully at his wall, her brows furrowed in concentration.

"Yeah?" He stared up at the ceiling, having absolutely no idea what she was going to ask him.

"Can I stay here for the rest of – " She paused, " – for the rest of… forever? I don't want to go home."

"Of course you can." Jace looked down at her and gave her a crooked half-smile, just for old time's sake. "For the rest of forever."

"Thank you," Jace could see the relief in Clary's green eyes, and he felt the way her body relaxed against his. She hooked her leg around his and tightened her arm around his chest. "Goodnight, Jace. I love you." Clary's eyes closed, and her body further relaxed.

"I love you, Clary," Jace said, even though she was already sleeping. "Goodnight." He laid there and just watched her sleep for a few minutes, stroking her red hair and thinking about everything she had gone through, and how she could still allow herself to be comforted even though she was fighting an internal war with her emotions. She let him in; let him see everything she was; let him know more than he deserved. She loved him. Clary loved him, and Jace loved her more than she would ever know.

Jace smiled to himself, and his eyes closed as he fell into a dark sea of pleasant, dreamless sleep.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, what did you think?

I didn't really explain this well, but basically Clary's dad (who's still an evil douchebag) is a _very bad_ man, who is currently in jail. He has a lot of influence over her brother Jonathan, who is sort of a druggie/bad boy (according to Jace), and Jonathan ended up getting arrested too (for the same really bad thing – I haven't really decided what it is yet), but now he's on parole. However, Clary and her mom (Jocelyn) are sort of afraid of him now. And in the midst of all this, Simon confessed to Clary that he loved her, but she was still having trouble dealing with her brother so she blew him off, and he got really mad at her and they've been having a sort of silent war since then. Jace, (who has known Clary since Junior year of high school and has also been in love with her since then) had been Clary's boyfriend up until the issues with Jonathan and Simon, and after that Clary had pushed him away because she didn't want him to have to deal with everything that was going wrong, and she didn't want to live with the risk of losing him too.

Confusing enough for you? Yeah, I confuse myself with my own complicated storylines sometimes too. ;P

You know, when I typed this up the first three times, the part where Clary talks to Jace about her brother was _way_ longer. I think it took up like two-and-a-half pages on Microsoft Word. I decided to shorten it up just to lessen the boringness factor, but do you think I shouldn't have? I have absolutely _no_ idea what would happen if I posted a third chapter, and I could use some ideas for both the plot and what other information I should include. :)

Remember: reviews are love, and the more I get, the fluffier I feel inside. And the fluffier I feel inside, the better I can write. And the better I can write, the happier you guys are, right? ;D

xoxo,

Jace's Angel

(p.s. Has anyone seen or bought the new Apple iPad? I tried one out at the Apple store, and totally fell in love. ;D You get access to Gmail, Facebook, and you can log into FanFiction! And it's _so _easy to type on! I need one!) :D


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** This chapter is a bit less fluff, a bit more transitioning. And also, a bit of Jace in just a towel. Hope you like! ;)

* * *

Jace stood in front of the mirror, water still dripping from his damp hair. The shower hadn't helped his mood. The constant pounding in his head refused to stop, and it was all Jace could do not to throw something. He ran his hands through his dripping wet hair and tugged at fistfuls of it as he glared at his reflection in the mirror.

Clary was still asleep in his bed. Jace remembered waking up to find her body still curled up against his, her hands gripping at his tank-top. Jace had wanted to stay there with her until she woke up. He wanted for her to stay curled up in his arms forever. But as soon as he had moved to shift their bodies into a more comfortable position, his head had started pounding so painfully he couldn't hear himself think anymore. So Jace had left her there, curled up on her side, looking small and fragile under the black quilt.

Jace moaned softly and leaned his head back against the wall as a ringing started up in his head. He couldn't imagine why this was happening. He had never gotten a headache remotely this bad before.

He took a deep breath, and waited until the ringing lessened up. Then he slowly made his way back to his bedroom, locking the door behind him.

And that was when he realized that all he was wearing was a white towel wrapped around his waist.

And he had left his clothes in the bathroom.

And Clary was awake, staring, at him with surprise in her emerald eyes.

Jace swore under his breath. He waited for Clary to say something.

Clary blushed and looked away, "Sorry," she mumbled. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood in front of him, still refusing to meet his eyes. "I'll go… take my shower, and you can…" she gestured towards his closet, indicating he should get dressed.

Jace cupped her chin with one hand, tilting her head up and forcing their eyes to meet. "Does my half-nakedness bother you? It can't be so bad," he grinned, "After all, you have seen me naked before."

Clary laughed softly, the ghost of a smile lighting her face. Jace sighed inwardly, relieved that she was comfortable enough with him to be laughing again. "True," her green eyes didn't look so distracted anymore, "But I do need a shower."

"Fine," Jace brushed his fingers across her cheek before letting his hand fall away from her completely. He nodded towards the door, and Clary smiled once more at him over her shoulder before she left the room.

After a minute he heard the shower turn on, and the low hum of rushing water drowned out his thoughts. There was the sound of cabinet doors opening and closing, and Jace was a little surprised that the hinges were squeaking loud enough for him to hear across the hall through two closed doors. He would have to tell Robert or Alec about that, or fix it himself later.

Jace winced as his headache came back, but he ignored it as best he could. He yanked a black t-shirt on over his head, and had just pulled on his favorite pair of navy blue boxers when the door clicked open and Clary leaned into his room, still fully clothed.

"Where do you keep the towels?" She asked, "I think Maryse or Isabelle must have rearranged since the last time I was – oh! Sorry, you're changing. I'll wait – "

"Nah," Jace didn't bother trying to find a pair of jeans to put on, "It's fine. Aren't there towels hanging on the rack next to the shower door?"

Clary shook her head.

Jace figured he must have used the last one without realizing it. "There are more in the cupboard next to the sink."

"Thanks," Clary gave him another small smile, and then the door closed again. Jace remembered that Clary always turned on the shower a few minutes before she actually got in, so that the water had time to heat up.

Out of nowhere, a loud song that Jace didn't recognize started playing. And the sound was coming from… his laundry basket? His phone, Jace realized. He had left it in the back pocket of the pants he had worn yesterday. He rummaged through the plastic laundry basket, finding the phone and clicking it open. "Hello?"

"Is my sister at your place?" Jace knew that voice. Jonathan.

"Yes. Why?" Jace could stop the harsh growl of his tone. Why would Jonathan care where Clary was?

"Can I talk to her?"

"About what?"

"It's none of your business."

"Then, no." Jace didn't say that the reason was that Clary was in the shower. He didn't care if Jonathan knew he was going to be overprotective of Clary.

"Don't you tell me I can't talk to Clary. Put her on." Jonathan demanded, his tone matching Jace's now.

"She's not available to speak to you right now." _And she never will be._

"When will she be home?"

"I don't know." It was the truth. Clary had asked to stay for the rest of 'forever' and Jace wasn't going to force her to go talk to her brother if she didn't want to.

"Tell her I called. And that I need to talk to her." The phone clicked as Jonathan hung up.

Jace sat back on his bed, dropping his cell phone and resting his head in his hands. He realized he had either just gotten Clary out of something she didn't want to deal with, or just gotten himself into something _he_ didn't want to deal with. It was probably both.

Jace heard the shower turn off. A few minutes later he heard the bathroom door open, and then his own door clicked open and Clary stood in front of him, her red hair still damp from the shower. She was wearing the same party clothes as she had worn the day before.

"Do you want to borrow something of Isabelle's to wear?" Jace stood up, meaning to take Clary to his sister's room to find new clothes.

"I'm fine," Clary shook her head. "Shouldn't you put on some pants?" She smiled, a mock-disapproving expression on her face.

"No, actually," Jace only realized then that he had forgotten to find some jeans to wear. Damn Jonathan. But that was going to stop him from saying something that could further lift Clary's mood. Anything to see one of her full, purely happy smiles again. Jace missed those, more than he would ever admit to her. "I really shouldn't be wearing anything at all," he winked at her, and Clary rolled her eyes, her smile widening.

"Oh, really?" She asked "No, I think the full force of your attractiveness might end up knocking someone unconscious." She laughed, joking.

"Knock someone unconscious?" Jace stepped forwards, enveloping Clary in a tight hug. He wanted her closer that just that, but when her arms wrapped around his torso he was content to just hold her. "Like you? I don't think I've ever knocked you unconscious with my undeniable sexiness."

Clary laughed again, "Not yet, anyways. I seriously doubt you could phase _me_ with your arrogant sex-god behavior." She leaned her head against Jace's chest, her hands resting lightly over the muscles of his back.

Jace buried his face into Clary's soft red curls. Sex-god behavior? He couldn't help smiling. At least she still thought about the time when they had been together. He thought about her every time he closed his eyes.

But Jace didn't want to tell her that Jonathan had called. He didn't want to see the tightening in her eyes; to have her pull away from him and hide in her own mind again. But he had to. He couldn't hide this from her.

"Your brother called," Jace whispered into her hair.

* * *

**A/N:** And plot arises. *Que ominous music* What does Jonathan want from Clary?

And lucky for you guys, I actually have part of the next chapter written. Hopefully it will be up by next Wednesday. :D

And yes, for the time being Jace and Clary are together. But it's more of a 'just friends' sort of together for right now, rather than a 'boyfriend/girlfriend' sort of together. Don't worry though, they _will_ be officially together later in the story. You can bet I have some major fluff ideas up my sleeve. ;D

xoxo,

Jace's Angel


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **Wow. I know I said I'd post last Wednesday, but my old computer broke. And then the idiot UPS people tried to deliver my new laptop to the wrong house and it ended up getting sent to a city way far away from where I live. I got it back eventually, but it took forever for my inspiration to return after that fiasco. *Sigh* :(

Anyways, to get on with the story, this chapter is really long and _yes_ Jace and Clary do kiss, but remember that they are sort of "rediscovering" each other, so there won't be any major fluffy stuff like in Delicate until later chapters.

Well, here's chapter four. I hope you like it. :)

* * *

_"Your brother called," Jace whispered into her hair._

"What?" Clary whispered, stunned.

Jace could feel how her muscles tensed up, how she was barely breathing; waiting for his answer.

"He wants to talk to you," Jace ran his hand through Clary's fiery curls, wrapping his arm around her waist to pull her body closer to his. He wished he hadn't told her, but at the same time he was relieved that he didn't have to hide it from her. "You don't have to, Clary. You don't have to see him ever again. He doesn't deserve your attention."

Clary let out a slow breath, her arms falling limp at her sides. "I… I… I don't want to talk to him," she whispered, so softly Jace thought he might have imagined it. "Please, Jace, I don't – "

"I know," Jace leaned away from her so that he could see her green eyes, which were brimming with tears. "You don't have to."

Clary gave him a small smile and wiped at her eyes. "Thank you," she threw her arms around him, and Jace had to take a step back to keep from falling over.

"Did Jonathan say what he wanted?" Clary's words were muffled in the fabric of Jace's t-shirt.

"No, he didn't tell me."

"Oh." Clary tightened her grip around his waist. Jace leaned over and kissed the top of her head reassuringly.

"How about we go find Isabelle and get you some new clothes?" Jace wanted to change the subject before Clary ended up crying again. Jace _hated_ when she cried.

"Okay." But instead of moving to the door, Clary tilted her head back and, in one swift movement, she stood up on her tip-toes and kissed him.

Her lips were soft, barely moving, testing the waters. Jace laced his fingers into her red curls, feeling as the electricity between their bodies intensified. He could feel everything she was felt through their kiss, and in that moment only the two of them existed. Only the fact that Jace loved her remained. Clary's hands stayed resting on his back, but now her lips moved against his with more force. And Jace _felt_ that she loved him. He _felt_ how much she needed him; how much she missed him. He knew right at that moment that she wouldn't leave him again. Whatever she had been afraid of in the past, she wasn't afraid anymore.

Clary pulled away first, and leaned her head against Jace's shoulder.

"I love you," Jace instantly craved her touch; the vitality he felt only when they were connected. But he wouldn't pressure her into giving him more than she was willing to give right now.

"I love you too." Clary's fingers traced small circles over his back, and Jace had to struggle not to shiver under her touch. "How about we go find Isabelle now?"

**

* * *

**

Isabelle's room was just as much of a catastrophe as usual. Clothes lay scattered over her bed, and all across the floor. Empty C.D. cases sat where they had been tossed haphazardly on her desk. Make-up cases lay in untidy stacks on top of the vanity on one corner, and more clothes, mostly dresses, spilled out from the walk-in closet.

"Izzy?" Clary leaned into the disastrous room. "Are you in here?" Clary could see everything imaginable piled across Isabelle's room, but the only thing missing was Isabelle herself.

"No." Both Clary and Jace spun around to see the dark-haired girl standing behind them. "I was in the bathroom. You really shouldn't have let me drink so much last night, Clary." Isabelle pushed them out of her way as she entered her bedroom and flopped onto her pink bed with a pained groan.

Jace raised an eyebrow and glanced down at Clary, who rolled her eyes and mumbled a barely audible, "Sorry."

"Iz?" Jace pulled Clary into the room and sat on the bed next to his sister. "Can Clary borrow something of yours to wear?"

"None of it will fit," Isabelle's voice was muffled by her neon-pink pillow. "Or, no – I have something!" Isabelle jumped off of the bed, nearly knocking Jace over in her excitement. She rummaged through her over-flowing closet and pulled out what looked like a skin-tight green shirt.

"Don't I get pants?" Clary asked, eyeing the green _thing_ with obvious disgust. Clary didn't enjoy it when Isabelle used her as a life-sized Barbie doll while they were shopping, and this green shirt-thing that was the "only" piece of clothing that might be the right size was just as bad.

"Nope," Isabelle thrust the green fabric at Clary and pushed Jace out of the room.

"Izzy," Clary glared at the green shirt, "Are you sure this is the _only_ thing you have that I could wear?"

"Yes. Now, put it on."

"Aren't you supposed to be hung over?"

"I was, until you mentioned clothes. And then it went away. Here, put these shoes on."

"Great. I'm not a Barbie doll, you know. Couldn't you have just given me a t-shirt and sweat pants or something?"

"Do I look like the kind of girls who _owns _t-shirts and sweat pants?"

"No."

"See? You look amazing. And Jace will think you look sexy. You should borrow my clothes more often."

"Really?" Clary looked in Isabelle's floor-length mirror and saw that she _did_ look nice in the skin-tight green dress that Isabelle had given her. It had seemed like a shirt at first, but the fabric actually stretched all the way down to her knees. "Jace… why do I care what Jace thinks I look like?"

"Because you're in love with him. And he loves you too. How many times must I remind you of that fact?" Isabelle patted the place on the bed next to her. "When's the last time you kissed him?" She asked in an _I-told-you-so_ tone.

Clary blushed, remembering. "This morning, before we came to see you."

"Ah-ha!" Isabelle grinned, "And…?"

"And I don't even know how it happened. It just felt… right, I guess. But I haven't talked to him in over three months. I seriously don't think it meant anything to him." Clary remembered the last night, and falling asleep in Jace's arms. _He loves you_.

"Yes, it means more to him that you think." Isabelle looked up at her, her dark eyes serious. "I know you guys haven't been on speaking terms for a while, but he still really loves you." Clary remembered the first few months she had been avoiding Jace. It was hard on Isabelle, who was Jace's sister and Clary's best friend. On several occations, Isabelle had pushed Clary into speaking to Jace, just to ease up the tension that always ended up smothering the entire house when Clary slept over. Of course, when they had fought, things had only gotten worse. Clary winced internally at some of the things all three of them had said to each other.

"He told me he loved me. Last night, and again this morning." _And I thought that maybe he hated me now, after all of the times I've blown him off, and the nights I yelled at him while I was drunk. How can he still love me?_ Clary realized now how fast things had gone between her and Jace since he had picked her and Isabelle up from Sebastian's party. _And I love him too. _She couldn't really wrap her mind around the fact that she had slept in the same bed as him for the first time in three months, and she had told him she loved him, and then kissed him. "I'm still a little dazed." Maybe he was too? Maybe he wished things hadn't gone so fast, and that he hadn't kissed her or told her he loved her?

"He wasn't lying." Isabelle frowned, staring at the floor, all of her regular confidence gone. "He hasn't been himself at all lately. All of the time you two spent apart, it hurt him."

"It hurt me too." Her voice was quieter and shakier than she had meant for it to be. Clary stared down at the floor, regretting ever pushing Jace away. She loved him, and knowing that her fear had hurt him only made the realization more painful.

Isabelle reached over and squeezed Clary's hand. "He's waiting for you," she nodded towards the bedroom door.

Clary gave her best friend a small smile and stood up to leave. Right before she opened the door she turned back to Isabelle. "Thank you." Clary swallowed and opened the door. She was ready for more than just admitting to Jace that she still meant everything she had said that morning.

**

* * *

**

Jace had been waiting in the hallway outside of Isabelle's room for what seemed like forever. He couldn't hear much of what the girls were saying, not that he was listening in. What he did hear of their conversation floated through the barrier of the door in shouts, mostly from Clary, and mostly complaints about Isabelle's lack of "Clary-style" clothing. Clary herself would never call it that, but the fact that Clary was _that girl_ who could look beautiful in only sweatpants and a t-shirt, with no make-up and her hair left natural, was one of the things Jace loved most about her.

"When's the last time you kissed him?" Isabelle's voice cut through Jace's thoughts.

"This morning, before we came to see you." Clary sounded unsure. But _she_ had been the one who kissed _him_.

"Ah-ha! And…?"

Jace strained to hear Clary's reply.

"And I don't even know how it happened. It just felt… right, I guess. But I haven't talked to him in over three months. I seriously don't think it meant anything to him."

How could she say that? Jace loved her. He had always loved her. How could she think she meant nothing to him?

"I'm still a little dazed."

Jace's chest contracted at those words. Dazed? What was that supposed to mean? Did she not feel the same way anymore? Was she having second thoughts about everything she had told him? Maybe she thought they had gone too fast after months of avoiding each other.

Jace was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear the rest of the girls' conversation, and he didn't noticed that Isabelle's bedroom door had opened and closed until he _felt_ Clary's presence beside him.

Her red curls were tamer than usual, and her green eyes were full of determination. And _oh, god_ what was she wearing? The little skin-tight green dress that Isabelle had given her was tight _everywhere_ Jace wanted to see. The dress had thin straps and a v-neck, and the back was cut in a low U shape. The asymmetrical hem was cut so that most of Clary's right thigh was visible. God, why did Isabelle have to pick _that_?

"Hey," she smiled softly, her green eyes meeting his gold ones.

Jace had to clear his throat before he could speak, "Hey." He gave her the best casual grin he could muster. "Nice dress."

Clary blushed, her pale pink cheeks heating to a light red. "Blame Izzy. I'm just thankful she hasn't made me wear something like this to a party." Clary looked up at him, and Jace saw a momentary flash of uncertainty in her eyes before she leaned forwards and hugged him.

Jace was a little surprised at the gesture, but he wrapped his arms around her thin waist, careful not to let his hands brush over her bare skin.

"Jace, I - " Clary's voice shook. She frowned and stared down at the floor. Then she sighed and leaned into his chest, "I love you."

"I love you too." Jace knew from the way she was staring out into nowhere that she was thinking hard and that that wasn't what she had originally been going to say. But he wouldn't pressure her into telling him what was on her mind. She would tell him when she was ready.

"Jace," she started again, "I… I want to… I'm ready to go see Jonathan now."

Jace froze. She what? She couldn't want to see her brother now. Jace's arms tightened around her body, "Are you sure? Clary you don't have to –"

"Jace, I'm sure. He's my brother, and I can deal with him." She paused and looked up at him, and Jace could see the trust reflected in the emerald orbs that saw right through his heart. "I have you, don't I? How bad could it be?"

Jace couldn't stop the incredulous laugh that escaped his lips. "And what brought on this realization?" Jace ran a hand through her red curls, "Was it the dress?"

Clary laughed and shook her head, and brought her own hands up to his face. Jace could see in her eyes that she was ready, and she was no longer afraid of her brother.

"Alright," Jace internally winced when his voice came out as barely above a whisper, "I'll drive you back to your house." He sighed and leaned forwards to kiss her forehead. Jace couldn't _believe_ she had found the courage to confront her brother. "And I do like the dress, by the way," Jace grinned down at her, letting his hand slide across her back to where the back of the dress didn't cover. Clary smiled and trailed her fingers across his jaw and around the back of his neck, until they raked through his honey curls. Jace couldn't stop himself from leaning in to meet her lips as she tugged at his hair.

"Love you," he managed to whisper before their lips crashed together. Jace could feel the electricity that passed between them, and he wanted to stay there with her forever. He forgot all about Jonathan the moment, and it was only Clary that he saw right then. Only her soft lips that he felt. Her hands tugging at his hair and the way her tongue flicked across his lips kept his heart pounding. He loved her, wanted her, _needed_ her so badly it hurt.

Clary pulled away first and rested her head on his shoulder. Jace wanted to continue kissing her, but he only allowed himself to trace slow circles over her bare skin.

"We should go now," Clary spoke, and her warm breath fanned across Jace's neck.

"Yeah," Jace was reluctant to let her go. He didn't want her to have to deal with Jonathan. Not ever. Jace had meant it when he told Clary that her brother didn't deserve her attention. After what Jonathan had done, he didn't deserve to be within a mile of Clary.

But Clary slipped out of his embrace and took his hand. "Do you have your car keys?"

"Yes," Jace had slipped them, along with his wallet and cell phone, into the pockets of the jeans he had put on before they came to find Isabelle.

"Good," Clary dragged him out the front door of the Lightwood's house to his waiting Camaro.

**

* * *

**

The drive to Clary's house was silent. Uncomfortable and on edge, Jace couldn't force himself to calm down. As much as he wanted to retain his sarcastic air around Jonathan, his fear that Clary couldn't really handle this was overriding any walls he tried to throw up. Jace was torn between playing the overprotective boyfriend or the pissed-off tough guy, when all he really wanted was to pull Clary into his arms and beg her not to be anywhere near her brother. Jace couldn't stop her from going. He would do anything she asked without question, but he didn't like this. He didn't know what Jonathan wanted, and he didn't know what the consequences of Clary's visit would be. Normally the mention of Jonathan's name brought her to tears, but since last night things had changed. Jace felt the change, but he didn't know what it meant. Clary trusted him now, more than she ever had before. Jace just didn't know what had triggered her willingness to trust him.

"Jace?" Clary glanced at him and bit her lip, and then looked back out the window. She had been thinking for most of the car-ride, but Jace didn't know what about.

"Yeah?" Jace wanted to be careful how he spoke to her. The air between them held something different than it had last night, and different from what he had felt this morning. Clary sounded nervous, like she didn't really want to tell him whatever she was about to say. Jace wished she would look at him. He needed to see her eyes.

"You remember…" she took a deep breath, and angled her head away from him, so that her face was obscured behind a curtain of red curls. "What Sebastian said… yesterday, before you took me to your place?"

Jace nodded, and then realized she couldn't see him, "Yes, I remember." Sebastian was a jerk. Jace wondered if Clary thought what Sebastian had said had changed his opinion of her. He hoped she didn't think that, because it didn't. Everything Sebastian had said was just meant to hurt Clary.

"He was right." Jace could practically _hear_ the tears in her voice. His hands gripped the steering wheel in front of him so tightly his knuckles turned white. _How could she think that?_ "I – I have been… he wasn't lying when… he said…"

"Clary," Jace reached over and took her hand, his eyes leaving the road for a moment as he looked at her. She refused to turn away from the window. "It doesn't matter what Sebastian said. I don't care what he thinks, and neither should you."

"I know," Clary whispered, "I know I shouldn't care, and I don't, it's just that – " she took another shaky breath and squeezed his hand, "You should know what I was like back when… after Jonathan…" She stopped, and Jace knew she was fighting back tears.

Jace had only heard bits and pieces of what was going on in Clary's life during the months after what had happened with Jonathan. He hadn't paid much attention to Isabelle's ranting and raving about how amazing a party had been, or how fun a shopping trip had been. He knew that Clary and Isabelle spent a lot of time together, but he had tried to avoid ever mentioning or hearing about Clary.

Jace had hated to admit to himself back then, but Clary had broken his heart when she left him. Now, Jace wasn't afraid to say that he had been broken. He had Clary back, and he still loved her, even after all that.

And now that she was back, Jace realized that he hardly knew what had gone on in Clary's life during the time they were apart.

"I was horrible," Clary spoke so quietly Jace thought he might be imagining it. "All the parties, and then Sebastian… I don't know what I was thinking," she looked down.

"What happened with Sebastian?" Jace's mind was racing. Why would Clary have had anything to do with that asshole? She couldn't have… _done_ anything with him, could she? She wouldn't have… not the Clary Jace remembered. But she hadn't been herself then. Losing Jonathan and Simon had screwed her up, and Jace been avoiding talking about her.

"It was only a night," Clary's voice sounded frantic now. Jace wished she would turn so he could see her face. "I was drunk… Jace, I'm so sorry."

A night. She had spent a night with Sebastian. Drunk, at one of his weekend parties. In a closet, maybe? Or had he had enough class to take her to his room?

That must have been why Sebastian had sounded so bitter yesterday. Yes, he hated Jace for reasons Jace couldn't fathom, but now Jace understood why Sebastian hated Clary too. Sebastian was the type of man to be irked when a girl denied being with him.

"Say something," Clary's voice shook. "Jace, say something."

"Clary," Jace tried to phrase his words so that he wouldn't sound like he was mad at her. He wasn't. She had been confused and lost, and Jace wasn't angry with her for what she had done. If anything, this news only made him loathe Jonathan more for what he had put Clary through. "I'm not mad at you."

And finally she turned to him. Tears glistened in her green eyes. Jace wanted to lean over and brush them away. She was always crying, and he hated it. "You're not… disgusted?" She sounded utterly surprised.

Jace shook his head. "Why would I be? Do you remember the day I told you about my father?" Clary nodded. "What did you tell me then?" Jace had been adopted by the Lightwoods when he was ten years old. His mother had died when he was born, and his father had been abusive. Jace didn't like to think about that, but he kept the name Wayland. Clary had asked about it, months before what had happened with Jonathan, and he had told her everything he remembered. It wasn't something he spoke about often, but he had trusted her enough not to make something up like he usually did.

"I told you that… It didn't matter. It was the past, and… I still… love you," Clary stared back down at the dashboard. When Jace had first told her, he had thought she would be disgusted with his past, and the memories he still carried. He had thought she would take one look at his scars and head for the door. But she had surprised him.

"And that's exactly what I'm going to tell you now," Jace squeezed her hand. "Whatever happened between you and Sebastian doesn't matter. It's in the past, and I'm not holding it against you. I love you, Clary, and I always will."

Clary looked back up at him, the surprise still evident in her eyes. "Thank you," she bit her lip, "I… I love you too, Jace."

Jace grinned at her, wishing he could lean over and hug her, maybe kiss her, but he couldn't while he was driving. He half wondered why she would bring this up now, but it didn't really matter. Not if he got another chance to tell her he loved her. Those words were something he would never get tired of, and hearing her say it back… It was something he wasn't used to. From the Lightwoods, yes. But not from… not from his father. Michael Wayland had never said that to him.

But it didn't matter now. Jace had Clary, and even though she had every means to break his heart again, Jace didn't care. Because he loved her.

And he would take her to the ends of the world if she wanted. Jace almost wished she asked for a vacation to Paris, rather than a car-ride to go see her brother.

"Jace?" Her voice cut through his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"What do you think Jonathan wants?" She didn't sound afraid.

"I don't know." All he had said over the phone was that he needed to talk to Clary. Jace didn't know what about.

"Oh. How far away are we?" Now she sounded a little anxious.

Jace gave her hand another reassuring squeeze, "Not very. About a mile." He hadn't really been paying attention to what roads he took, but he knew the way to her house by heart, and Alec had once said that Jace could drive there with his eyes closed if he needed to.

"Okay."

They were silent for a while. Jace wanted to say something, but he didn't know what he could say to lighten the tension in the air surrounding them.

"Jace?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Jace smiled. "I love you too, Clary."

He could _feel_ her smile lighting up the car. "Promise me something?" She turned to him, her features suddenly serious.

"Anything."

"Promise you won't do anything… stupid." She reached over and set her free hand on his shoulder. "You know… you know Jonathan acts so different now. He'll say things… I know you'll be mad at him. Please, promise me you won't do anything – "

"I promise." Jace understood what she meant. He knew from talking to Jonathan in the past, and on the phone that morning, that the boy was eventually going to say something to Clary that Jace wouldn't – couldn't – let him get away with. But as much as Jace hated the situation she was putting them in, he would promise her anything.

Jace didn't miss her relieved sigh. And he was a little shocked when she leaned over and laid her head on his shoulder. But having her red curls splayed carelessly against his neck and her delicate fingers laced with is made the drive, and the prospect of what they were about to face, just that much more bearable.

* * *

**A/N: **Good? Haha, please note that I wrote most of this at four in the morning. ;) Also, I was planning on including their visit with Jonathan in this chapter, but when I started typing that scene it just felt like too much for one chapter. This whole chapter is over 4,700 words by itself. O.o

But can anyone guess what might happen when you put Jace and Jonathan in the same room? *Waggles eyebrows* ;D

You got a little of Jace's past here and what I hope is a decent explanation of why he lives with the Lightwoods but Sebastian reffered to him as Wayland in the first chapter. I think that's all I'm going to include about Jace's past though. There's not really much I could incorporate in this about Jace's family (not the Lightwoods), but tell me what you think.

Reviews are love, so please tell me any questions you have, and anything else about what you are thinking so far of this story. :)

xoxo,

Jace's Angel


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